GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron
The GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron (aka Ahead Quantum Brainwave Type, Ahead) is a customized Ahead unit from season 2 of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. It was piloted by Soma Peries, but later assigned to Louise Halevy. Technology & Combat Characteristics The Smultron is a customized Ahead unit tailored to meet the needs of a pilot who can use Quantum Brainwave. As such, it is installed with a Quantum Brainwave Interface system, allowing the pilot's super-human reflexes to be used in piloting the suit. To exploit this special characteristic of the pilot further, the suit is designed with high-mobility in mind and this is accomplished through the addition of thrusters to the shoulders and a multi-vector thruster unit to the backpack. Other than the modified shoulders, the suit also has a different head as well as chest and torso armor. Weapons-wise, Smultron utilize similar equipment as those of the normal Ahead, but its GN Beam Rifle and GN Shield are customized version. Its overall combat capabilities almost rivals Celestial Being's Gundams. Armaments ;*GN Beam Rifle :An enlarged, customized version of the Ahead's GN Beam Rifle, it is fitted with only one GN Condenser at the top. The rifle is designed to be closer to that of next generation standard, while its aiming, adjustment of the GN Particle compression rate and other functions are done through the Quantum Brainwave Interface system. Thus, the rifle can only be used by Smultron. :;*GN Submachine Gun ::The GN beam rifle without the front attachment, the power of each shot is weakened slightly in exchange for an increased rate of fire. However, it is still strong enough to destroy non-GN Drive MS. ;*GN Vulcan :Like the normal Ahead, Ahead Smultron is equipped with a pair of 30mm GN Vulcans used to intercept and destroy incoming missiles. ;*GN Beam Saber :The Ahead Smultron is equipped with two GN Beam Sabers which are stored in compartments in the shoulders. ;*GN Shield :A GN Shield in the form of a Tieren-like shield, it is designed like this to prevent interference with the MS's limbs during high speed maneuvers. Although slightly smaller than the normal Ahead's shield, it is still made of high strength E-Carbon and the GN-Field's defensive effect is stacked onto the material shield to give overall higher protection. A 60mm GN vulcan gun is mounted within, allowing the shield to used for both defense and offense. Special Equipment & Features ;*Quantum Brainwave Interface System :A special interface system that allows partial control of the MS and some of its equipment through the pilot's Quantum Brainwave. History The Smultron was given to Soma Peries on her transfer into the A-Laws. She used it three times in battle, twice against Allelujah's Arios. Her first use of the Smultron was shortly after the Trilobite's failed attack when she intercepted Arios. Allelujah recognized that it was Marie in the mobile suit and refused to fight her, although he did attempt, and failed, to dodge her attacks so Soma managed to lightly damage the Gundam. The battle broke off when Katharon mobile suits appeared and Soma was forced to defend herself and retreat. The Smultron's second use came shortly after information about a Katharon base. The Smultron was part of the team of mobile suits that participated in the massacre, shooting down mobile suits that exited the base. The A-Laws retreated shortly after the Gundams arrived on the scene. Soma used the Smultron a third and last time to defend against an attack from Celestial Being over the ocean. This would be the Smultron's second battle against Arios, a battle in which both suits were heavily damaged. When the Smultron was damaged, Allelujah grabbed her suit and pulled her down to ground. It was later salvaged. Louise Halevy later requested to have the Smultron as her suit to "avenge" Soma's "death", which was supported by Major Aber Rindt. Louise would use the Ahead Smultron multiple times in battle against the Gundams. Her first time using this suit is to intercept the Ptolemaios, but Ptolemaios succeeded in escaping to space using trans-am. Her first battle with the mobile suit would be in space during the A-Laws ambush as Lagrange 1 where her squad was assigned to keep 00 Gundam occupied and away from the main assault force, but were completely out-matched by the capabilities of the 00 Raiser. Her second use of the mobile suit was during the coup d'tat. During the Break Pillar incident she and fellow A-Laws ground forces helped in the destruction of the pillars pieces, but right afterward, alongside Andrei Smirnov, attacked the leader of the coup d'tat and Sergei Smirnov, even having a brief run-in with Marie in the GN Archer although neither knew who was piloting the other suit. Louise would most likely continue to use the Smultron in the A-Laws' various attacks on Celestial being during their four month hiatus to rest, repair, and prepare. After Celestial Being destroyed the second Memento Mori Louise and the Smultron participated in a large scale attack on Celestial Being. The Smultron, and another Ahead piloted by Andrei, were disguised as a pair of meteors that drifted towards the Ptolemaios 2 from above while the ship and Gundams were dealing with a pincer attack of A-Laws mobile suits. However Celetial Being saw through the trick because it had been used on them before. The 00 Raiser intercepted the two however because Saji and Setsuna were trying to reach out to Louise they did not actually fight them and neither Ahead was damaged. This would be the last mission the Smultron would participate in as shortly afterward Louise is assigned to the new GNMA-0001V Regnant. The Ahead Smultron's data is used as a testbed for the aborted GNX-Y802T Neo-Hed. Picture Gallery Smultron-close up2-s2e4.png.png|First appearance in Season 2 Episode 4. Smultron charging.png|Smultron preparing to charge. Smultron engaging1-s2e6.png|Clashing in close combat (Ep6). Smultron damaged-s2e6.png|Smultron damaged shoulder after beam hit. gnx-704t-cockpit.jpg|Cockpit gnx-704t-hatch.jpg|Cockpit Hatch gnx-704tsp-gnbeammachinegun.jpg|GN Beam Machine Gun Gunpla Hg00-ahead-smultron.jpg|HG00 1/144 GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron (2009): box art Notes *The term Smultron means "wild berry" in Swedish. References Gundam 00 Second Season A-Head Smultron.jpg|GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron - Lineart External links *GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron on MAHQ.net *GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron on Wikipedia.org